How many business professionals are simply too afraid to take a vacation because they’ll miss too much when they’re gone? We all know that workaholic who just can’t let go of control, and sadly, they’re not alone.
A CareerBuilder survey reveals two in five employees work outside traditional office hours, and one in four check on work activities while with friends and family. These tools and tips will make stepping away from your work for a few days a little easier. You’ll be able to unplug and step back without falling behind while you’re not watching over every detail.
Email Autoresponder
As soon as you know you’re leaving the office for a few days, your first instinct is to say, “Eh, I’ll handle email from my phone while I’m away, no big deal.” While there’s nothing that says you can’t check your email while you’re mobile, you’re not really unplugged. So, here’s what to do instead.
Setup your email autoresponder to say something along the lines of:
“Hi,
I’m out of the office from [X date] until [X date]. While I may be able to respond to your message during this time, I can’t guarantee my usual response time. If you have an issue that requires immediate assistance, please contact [name of another associate who can help in your absence] at [email and/or phone]. I will be replying to email when I’m back in the office.
Thanks,
[Name]”
Now you can look at email if you want to, but you’re under no obligation to do so. Make sure the associate who’s helping you knows to only reach out to you in situations where there’s no one else who can help.
Be sure and turn off email notifications on your phone, so you don’t see or hear when they come in.
Email Scheduler
Are there emails that absolutely have to go out while you’re gone? Any responses you need to have ready to go? That’s where an email scheduler like Yesware or Boomerang for Gmail comes in handy. If you promised a client you’d contact to them by a certain date and it turns out you’ll be gone then, you can set up the email in advance so there’s no issue. Or, if you’re already an Insightly user, you can schedule emails to go out in advance right from within the CRM.
Social Media Scheduler
Social never sleeps, and thankfully, there’s no shortage of apps and scheduling solutions to choose from. If you’re a B2B marketer, use Oktopost to schedule your social media posts in advance. If you’re in the B2C marketer, you can use Buffer, CoSchedule, or Hootsuite. It’s no substitute for live interactions with your followers, but it will keep your pages and profiles active while you’re gone. You can always catch up when you get back. Or, use these tools to pass the social media management baton to a colleague while you’re gone.
Block Distractions
There’s an app for that! Freedom works to block the Internet, social media, and apps. It works for iPhones, iPads, Macs and Windows computers. You can set limits and your device won’t let you waste time on social, or even connect to the Internet when you should be relaxing on vacation. Get the same app for Android users here. As a bonus, it will even work for your Kindle.
Many phones have a “Do Not Disturb” mode, where you can set the hours you want to block calls and notifications. Don’t worry – you can set it up so you can still get calls from family members in case of emergency. Use it – block all notifications and calls from work while you’re on vacation.
Unplugging on vacation, and even at the end of your workday has numerous benefits. You’ll get some time to recover from stress so you can recharge for the next day. As much as you’d like to think it does, multi-tasking doesn’t work, so why not just enjoy the moment? And, without the blue light exposure before bed, you’ll sleep better, too. Fight the urge to maintain control and trust someone else to take the reins while you take a break. It will be okay – we promise.
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
